CALWEST - Key Persons
Ben has over 15 years of experience in the independent school world as a teacher and administrator throughout the Midwest, East Coast and West Coast.
Ben began his career in education as a music teacher at a Quaker boarding school in Southern Ohio. Since then, he has held positions as an ESL instructor, Director of International Program, Director of Residential Life and Dean of Students at schools in Ohio, Florida and California. His professional interests include creating programs that support the holistic development of students and promote a diverse and cohesive school community. He also enjoys collaborating with administrators to develop coherent and sustainable systems and policies.
A native of Cleveland, OH, Ben spent his summers living and attending school in Kanagawa, Japan. He graduated with a B.A. from Kenyon College and conducted doctoral work in Musicology from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He currently resides in Ojai, CA with his wife and two kids, and in his spare time, enjoys hunting for the best ramen, cheesesteak sandwiches and kibbeh and listening to John Prine, Nanci Griffith and, of course, Hall & Oates.
Fleisch joined CalWest in 2003. Previously, he worked in several education-related start-ups in California. While managing SCORE! Learning Centers in California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, he also worked with elementary and middle school students. He graduated with a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Human Resources. He attended St. Paul's School for grades 9-12. He spent his K-8 years at an independent school in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Search Services and School Relationships
Desirée is the Manager of Search Services and School Relationships and joined the CalWest Team in 2019. She is responsible for Non-Exclusive Searches and leadership of the team to develop school relationships and client liaison services. Desiree was born in Southern California and lived in Northern California for five years before moving to Pittsburgh. Desiree graduated with her MM in vocal performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and her BA in music from Rhodes College in Memphis. Desiree continues to teach private voice lessons and is the Co-founder of Aria412 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Erin Ash Sullivan has worked in independent schools for over twenty years as a teacher and administrator. She received a B.A. in English from Amherst College and an M.A. in Education with a focus on Technology in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
As Director of Marketing and Communications at Fay School in Southborough, MA, Erin coordinates Fay's website, print materials, social media presence, and marketing and communication strategies for current families, alumni, and prospective families. Erin has acted as the head of the accreditation team for The Willows Community School (Los Angeles) during their 2020 and 2012 accreditations and chaired the Marketing/Communications Committee for Fay's 2020 accreditation. Erin is also a curriculum developer and educational writer. She has contributed to elementary math and science textbooks for Harcourt, Glencoe, and Houghton-Mifflin.
Under Erin's leadership, Fay publications have been honored multiple times by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). In 2016, Fay won a Gold Excellence Award for A Day at Fay with Mortimer Moose; in 2013, Fay's admission viewbook, A Guide to Life at Fay, was honored with a Silver Excellence Award; and in 2011, Fay Magazine received an honorable mention.
Erin is also a curriculum developer and educational writer. She has contributed to elementary math and science textbooks for Harcourt, Glencoe, and Houghton-Mifflin. She is also the author of Get Ready for Social Studies: U.S. History, published by McGraw-Hill; U.S. History: People and Events that Helped Build America; and numerous leveled readers for Pearson, Macmillan, Steck-Vaughn, Newbridge Educational Publishing, and Benchmark Press.
She remains committed to advancing independent schools through sharing her expertise through workshops for The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), The Association of Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP), and the Enrollment Management Association (EMA).
Job Titles:
- Manager, Operations and Administration
Jen joined the CalWest team in 2017. Jen's work enhances all aspects of operations for the CalWest Team. Jen works closely with the business office as well as with our schools. Jen helps connect our schools to the right candidates behind the scenes. She ensures all the team members have what they need to complete their job to the best of their ability. Jen is a Southern California Native and has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a minor in Woman's Studies from CSUN. She attended private schools for grades 1-12, and her two children also attend a private school in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Job Titles:
- Candidate Outreach Associate
- Recruiting Associate
John linked with the CalWest team in 2022. John attended classes abroad on Semester at Sea, LaSalle University and Montana State before collecting a BS at Kutztown University in Secondary Education. John enjoyed teaching a variety of social science classes through the years and led a variety of positions in social work, including work with homeless teenagers.
Originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania, John moved to the Catskills for a decade before landing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is also the owner of Saint's Nicks; making one-of-a-kind Santas from vintage and antique fabrics and furs. In his free time he enjoys his two young daughters and his giant puppy Biko.
Job Titles:
- Talent Acquisition Specialist
Leah joined CalWest in 2023 as an External Recruiting Associate. She's a Bronx, NY, Native and has a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies from SUNY Purchase. Leah worked in Human Resources for over a year and enjoyed recruitment the most.
With her upbeat personality and passion for helping people find their dream job, she hopes to become a valued member of CalWest.
She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family in her free time.
Mariah is a strong and emergent voice for diversity-and-inclusion-informed education and instructional innovation. She received a B.A. from Vanderbilt University, an M.A. in Education from the University of Mississippi, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, focusing on Justice and Diversity in Education.
Mariah has six years of research and consulting experience with the Shifting Horizons in Future Teachers (SHIFT) project, Supporting Instructional Growth in Mathematics (SIGMa) project, the Tennessee Department of Education, and Mass Insight Education, based in Massachusetts. Her work with SHIFT included developing simulations and video-based content to coach preservice teachers on their decision-making process regarding the perpetuation of whiteness and possible implicit biases. Her work at Mass Insight Education included consulting with high schools to increase Black and Brown students' access to Advanced Placement programs and developing streamlined, diverse, and inclusive strategies for hiring school leaders and administrators.
Across various projects, she has consulted with school leaders to better support teachers of color and developed training to foster culturally responsive teaching. She now leads the (B)lack+(W)oman+(T)eacherResearch Study. This project engages Black women preservice teachers in discussing educational texts authored by Black women, thinking about culturally responsive pedagogy, and affirming their own cultural identities at a predominantly white institution.
Throughout her career, Mariah has been a crucial advisor on executive/administrative search and diversity consulting teams. She creates higher performing, inclusive and equitable schools by bridgingdiverse administrator and teacher perspectives.
Job Titles:
- Candidate Outreach Associate
- Recruiting Associate
Nichol hails from the Midwest and graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Marketing. She has worked in advertising, retail, sales, as well as the technology industry. She also has served as a substitute elementary teacher at her children's independent school.
Most recently, Nichol has enjoyed her work as a freelance recruiting associate and as a group fitness instructor. She joined CalWest in 2022 and is very excited to be a part of the team. Nichol spends her free time with her husband and three daughters and resides in Chapel Hill, NC.
Pauline is the Vice President, and resides in Pasadena, CA. She joined CalWest in 2016 after spending five years teaching business in Beijing, China. She holds a BA in Economics from Yale University and an MBA from The Anderson School of UCLA. Pauline manages CalWest's general operations, and also handles all things related to finance, human resources, and administration. She is excited to be a member of the CalWest team.
As a dedicated senior search director at CalWest, Shoshanna has successfully placed over forty educators in a variety of roles, from classroom teachers to senior school leaders. With a proven track record in identifying exceptional talent, she has partnered with schools across California and the Northwest to find educators who share their values and missions. Shoshanna's deep understanding of diverse school cultures, coupled with her expertise in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging enables her to connect schools with educators who are not only qualified but also a great fit.
Shoshanna has been involved in the California independent school community as a teacher, administrator, parent, and consultant for almost twenty-five years. After receiving a B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese from Stanford University, Shoshanna began a career in higher education, teaching and leading programs in Spanish and Portuguese language, literature, and cultural studies at Stanford, USC, and UCLA. Then, as Director of Instruction for an education company, Shoshanna hired and trained elementary language instructors while building relationships with independent school leaders. Shoshanna's connections to independent school communities led her to back to teaching History and Spanish at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, and ultimately to fully dedicate herself to independent school search consulting. She offers multiple perspectives and a breadth of experience leading searches ranging from elementary, middle, and high school Science, Language Arts/English, and Math, Reading and Learning Specialists, School Counselors, Lower, Middle, and Upper School Division Heads, Directors of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Directors of Technology, Directors of Finance and Operations, and Assistant and Associate Heads of School.
Shoshanna is originally from Seattle and has two boys, one of whom went through independent schools in Los Angeles. She lives part-time in the Lake Tahoe area and enjoys spending time in the mountains hiking, biking, and skiing.
Perceptive, communicative, and organized. An effective problem solver with strong ethics who loves learning. This is why Stephanie Young Rosen is a successful Search Director.
She has cultivated these traits throughout her career in education. She gained a reputation as one of the top and most sought-after private writing coaches in Los Angeles. She has a real talent to connect one-on-one with people, and assess their strengths and weaknesses. She is an excellent listener.
Stephanie has tutored students at elite private schools such as the Archer School, Brentwood, Campbell Hall, Windward and the Willows School. In partnering with parents, working with students, and serving as a bridge with administrators and faculty, she gained a strong understanding of various schools' cultures and inner workings.
After a BA in English at Amherst College, Stephanie received her MFA in writing from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
Stephanie has three children, a spouse and two dogs. She is an expert multi-tasker, and enjoys working with schools to find their best fit candidates.